The (Moroccan) National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the International Commission of Jurists organize, on 1-2 March 2012 in Rabat, a seminar on the "Judicial reform, new constitution and international standards."
The Moroccan new constitution entrenches the independence of the judiciary. But to ensure the judiciary’s independence and effectiveness, the constitutional reform must be accompanied by a thorough review of the existing laws and legislations to guarantee the independence of the Higher Council of the Judicial Power and the Public Prosecution. Strengthening the statute for judges, ensuring real and effective judicial protection of fundamental rights and liberties, including at the constitutional court, and restoring confidence of citizens in the system of justice are fundamental as well.
To ensure the effective independence of the judiciary and judges in the exercise of their profession, it is essential that the new organic laws and the statute for judges be in conformity with the international standards related to the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, including standards related to public prosecutors.
This seminar will be attended by stakeholders involved in the field of justice. They will debate and address different topics related to the sector of justice and discuss some international experiences from different perspectives.
Several plenary sessions are scheduled during this session: “Role of the Higher Council of the Judicial Power in consolidating the independence of the judiciary”, “Reform of the Statute for judges”, “Public prosecution, what independence?” and “the independence of the judiciary between law and practice”. Three workshops related to the main topics of the seminar are scheduled as well.
The opening session of this meeting will be held on Thursday March 1st, 2012 at the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, at 09:00 a.m. Mr. El Yazami, chairman of the National Human Rights Council, Mr. Mahjoub El Haiba, Inter-ministerial Delegate for Human Rights and Mr. Said Benarbia, senior counselor for the International Commission of Jurists, will take the floor during this session.
The Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER) included in its final report several recommendations related to the judiciary and its independence. The then Advisory Council on Human Rights (CNDH now), which has been entrusted with the follow-up of the implementation of the IER’s recommendations, submitted in 2009 a memorandum on the subject to His Majesty the King.
This memorandum includes several recommendations related to the constitutional guarantees of the judicial independence, the organization of the Superior Council of Magistracy, revision of laws (fundamental statute for judges, the system of justice, the decree governing the prerogatives of the Ministry of Justice), government policy in the field of justice, penal policy, training and continuing education, human and material resources, the code of conduct and the involvement of civil society and the media...
RECAP:
Activity: Seminar on "judicial reform, new constitution and international standards"
Date and Time: Thursday, March 1, 2012; opening session at 09:00 a.m.
Venue: National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco
Contact: CNDH’s Communication Department (05 37 73 29 13)
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